YP Letters: We are all in denial over climate change

IT amazes me that Donald Trump is still in denial as regards global warming, even when America’s own scientists have proven that it is already here – surely the raging fires in California give testament to that.

However, his attitude is nothing remarkable, given that the rest of the world is in denial too. The Brazilian rain forests are being devastated by illegal logging and soya crop planting, yet nothing is done by their governments.

Our seas are polluted by plastics and our countryside turned into barren wastelands without a hedge in sight, and yet we have people who believe that they are doing their bit by recycling and buying electric cars and doing everything they can to preserve nature – yet many become hypocrites when it comes to everyday life.

There are parents who swear they want to help save the planet for their offspring’s future, yet object venomously when it is suggested that disposable nappies should be banned in favour of reusable ones – the billions of tonnes going into landfill every year apparently irrelevant.

There are those who profess to be shocked and affronted at the amount of rubbish in our seas and our countryside as highlighted by Sir David Attenborough, who nevertheless happily fly tip or drop plastic water bottles or litter, and then we have those who insist that our oxygen-giving trees be felled or pollarded because autumn leaves are a tiresome inconvenience.

Then, of course, we have the tonnes of polluting fuel vapour tossed into the atmosphere by millions of aircraft flying over us each day, and yet Heathrow is expanding its runways.

Yet does anyone really want to halt this madness? Of course not, because it is inconvenient.

The world is in a mess, and I have no doubt that even when Judgement Day arrives, we will still have warring parties in the Middle East still battling away fully intent on killing each other.

Madness, utter madness! Rome and Emperor Nero spring to mind, don’t you think?

The role 
of fathers

From: JG Riseley, Harcourt Drive, Harrogate.

ROBERT Halfon MP (The Yorkshire Post, November 26) addresses outcomes for disadvantaged white boys, but doesn’t look early enough for causes or solutions.

For generations we have been seeking to improve the education system and this has enabled brighter children to escape poor communities through upward mobility. Is it any surprise if it becomes harder to repeat this feat as the remaining pool is progressively selected for failure?

Disadvantage is passed down, via one mechanism or another, from parents to their children.

We need not concern ourselves so much about mothers, not because their influence is less important nor because they are always perfect, but because they are effectively a ‘given’ whereas the father is a ‘variable’. It would hardly be helpful or indeed meaningful to suggest that a woman give her future children a different mother. But she does have a choice to make with regard to their father.

This is not a decision we would wish the state to interfere in, but the Government already plays a negative role. In theory we have a fair and consistent system for setting paternal obligations. In practice the less able of men are deemed not to be worth chasing for support, so for them biological fatherhood can be free. The more capable would be pursued – which is an effective deterrent to paternity.

Healthy options

From: Mr PL Taylor, Milner Street, Lockwood, Huddersfield.

A VERY easy solution to obesity in children: responsible parents must be encouraged to provide their children with a healthy breakfast, a healthy packed lunch and a healthy snack for later in the day.

All junk food advertisements in the media or public transport should be banned.

Any financial losses incurred would easily be recovered by fewer demands on our already over-stretched NHS.

The best solution to any problem is the easiest one.

Not a real consultation

From: Bob Watson, Springfield Road, Baildon.

Wanda Maciuszko (The Yorkshire Post, November 27) rightly calls on people to object to the proposed closure of Aberdeen Walk Post Office in Scarborough, which would move to the WH Smith store on Westborough.

She pleads for all those affected to respond to the consultation which runs to December 28.

Unfortunately it would seem from past Post Office consultations that these are merely tick-box exercises with closure decisions already made. They are a fait accompli which is an utter disgrace.

This is happening all over the country and it is time that it was properly addressed instead of allowing the Post Office a seemingly free hand to do as it pleases and ignoring mass objections time after time.

Railing at Grayling

From: Peter Cooper, Castle View, Sandal

IS ANYONE else fed up with 
Tom Richmond’s incessant columns (The Yorkshire Post, November 27) ranting about Chris Grayling?

He’s made his point and we know what he thinks. Come on Tom, write about something else.

From: Henry Cobden, Ilkley.

THANK you to Tom Richmond for continuing to hold the Government to account over 
the railways. Passengers appreciate it.